


This Is Not New.  It Just Feels Like It.  (Fictober Submission)

by PerpetualSpinster



Category: Black Panther (2018)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-06 20:10:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16839559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerpetualSpinster/pseuds/PerpetualSpinster
Summary: The Infinity War Dust settles over Wakanda.





	This Is Not New.  It Just Feels Like It.  (Fictober Submission)

Wakanda was quiet. The wind whipped through the air, catching some remnants every so often, but overall it was peaceful; as is nothing even happened.

Okoye sat back a moment catching her breath before scrambling to her feet, as her leadership began to kick into gear.

“Princess Shuri! Are you there?” She calls out trying to catch her reply in her earpiece, but nothing was on the other end. 

Okoye ran off towards the palace. “Ayo! If you are there, round up any Dora that are still here. I am heading to the palace!”

“Hey! We are coming with you!” Steve Rogers called after her.

“You all have done enough!” Okoye yells back bitterly as she continued her strides. Her breathing was ragged, lungs engulfed in pain as she prayed to Bast that no one else was hurt or disappeared after the battle. 

Okoye makes it to the field where most of the fighting took place, slowing down as she scanned the person’s still standing, counting and checking for those close to her. 

“Lord M’Baku! What has happened? Are they all gone?”

M’Baku looked to Okoye in a daze, like he didn’t quite recognize her. “I…I think they are…”

Okoye continued. “What about the big purple one? Did he flee?”

M’Baku’s eyes flutter, thinking hard. “…maybe, I’m not sure…my men, they…” He holds his hand out, extending it around him.

Okoye bows her head at the news. “I know, some just crumbled like dust after the purple man vanished with a snap.”

M’Baku grits his teeth as his nostrils flared. “Where is T’Challa? This is his responsibility, he needs to face this…and me.”

Okoye’s mouth hangs open a moment, recalling his hand never reaching hers as he broke apart. “He…is like the rest…”

M’Baku’s head snapped towards her aghast. “No, that can’t be! He is dead?!”

Okoye’s hands flop to her sides as she looks around helpless. “It appears so. I just can’t give in to this situation. I am trying to find the Princess, she will be devastated.”

Soon, Ayo and a handful of Dora Milaje trudge behind her to report to Okoye as commanded. Okoye’s heart swells as she sees her sisters standing before her. “Ayo! You are alive, and the others as well!”

Ayo heaves a heavy breath, wiping her nose as she peers around the land. “Queen Mother is in the throne room of the palace. What about kumkani? Is he safe and accounted for?”

Okoye lets out a quick exhale. Every time she is asked about him feels like a punch to the gut. “He is…not. When the fighting ceased, he just disintegrated in my hands. There isn’t even a body to claim!”

Ayo closes her eyes turning away, as the other Dora appear grief stricken over the news.

“But now is not the time to mourn! We need to call the the shaman’s and any other medical staff on hand to get whoever is still here tended to. Lord M’Baku? Would you come with me to check on the princess?” M’Baku nods, heading after Okoye towards Shuri’s lab. 

Once they arrived at the doors of Shuri’s lab, Okoye walks through to see Shuri still stirring on the floor.

Okoye runs up to Shuri, kneeling beside her. ”Princess Shuri! Thank Bast you are still here! Are you hurt?”

Shuri sits up, holding her head. “I’ve had better whoopings from Mother, this is nothing. Where is Vision?”

Okoye smiles weakly, placing a hand to her shoulder. “Still worried over your work as usual. Don’t worry about it, we need to get you to Queen Mother so she can see you.”

Shuri nods slowly. “Sure, sounds good. Oh, and hello Lord M’Baku. Nice to see you here. Is T’Challa with you?” 

M’Baku opens his mouth a little too long for nothing to come out. Okoye answers for him. “Not right now. We can talk over all of the specifics once we get you with Queen Mother in the throne room.” 

Shuri looks out the window of her lab. “Wow, that is quite a mess they made out there, didn’t they?”

Okoye laughs a little to play along as she takes Shuri away from it. “Right. It was a good fight you missed.”

“Mhm, but at least we won. I know T’Challa had a good bit of help on his side. Despite their incompetence on Vision’s headstone, I’m sure they keep up a good fight.”

Okoye went silent as they slowly walked out of the lab to the corridor, taking an elevator down to the palace floor. Making their way to the throne room, Queen Mother Ramonda stood, one hand clutching the back of the aforementioned throne looks to them desperately.

“Okoye! What has happened? Why isn’t T’Challa with you? What’s wrong with Shuri?” Ramonda reaches for her daughter carefully, who is still holding her head. 

“I am fine Mother, I just got into a little scuffle. It isn’t my first. T’Challa isn’t with you?” Shuri asks.

“No! I haven’t seen him since his those outsiders he was helping came to the lab. Okoye, you don’t seem well, what is wrong?”

Okoye purses her mouth, blinking multiple times to keep her composure. M’Baku steps in to fill in the silence.

“T’Challa has…gone missing. Possibly worse.” M’Baku state sorrowfully.

Queen Ramonda shrieks, covering her mouth in horror. “What do you mean he disappeared? Did you see what happened. Okoye, speak!”

Okoye swallows, straightening up. “When the battle was through, T’Challa went to help me to stand up and…whatever powers that evil purple man brought, made him vanish into little pieces!”

Shuri appears to sober up from the news, looking to Okoye. “Why didn’t you say something in my lab? You ignored my questions, why?”

Queen Ramonda leans against the throne, weakened at the thought of losing her son. M’Baku takes ahold of her, walking her to sit on it, but she fights him off.

“I will not sit on my son’s throne! He is alive, dammit! This is his seat!” Ramonda said hysterically.

Shuri comes up to her mother holding her hands. “Mother, don’t be like that. He is just trying to help.”

Okoye speaks up. “I am so sorry. I feel terribly responsible and I am just as hurt as you are, Queen Mother.”

Shuri whips around. “Are you? Because you didn’t have much to say about it when you found me. I am not a child, I can handle this news without my mother. Look at her!”

Ramonda leaned on the throne in tears as M’Baku patted her back.

“This is not new. It just feels like it.” M’Baku states.

Shuri looks at him incredulously. “Are you diminishing our grief? My brother, our King is-”

“We do not know that yet! I lost men in the field too. People I have known all my life, who gave their life for you cause, but I refuse to believe I won’t see them again. I brought T’Challa to you, on the brink of death, he has beat the odds before.” M’Baku says authoritatively.

Before Shuri could tear into him, Okoye responds. “He is right. It may not be the end! T’Challa relayed to me information on these stones they are collecting-”

“Right, like the one Vision has.” Shuri added.

“…had, Princess. I’m sorry. The purple one gained it too, which made him so powerful. But the stones serve purposes, one being a Time Stone. There is also a Soul Stone, maybe the shamans can look into its properties-”

“But where is this man you’re talking about who took him?” Ramonda asks in between sobs.

Okoye says, “We will find him, Queen Mother. T’Challa’s friends are still here, we can lean on their expertise. Lord M’Baku, would you join me to collect the others?”

Ramonda stops them. “Wait! The throne cannot be empty. Despite our search, we have to have at least a figurehead at the helm in order to maintain the order of the monarchy.”

Shuri shakes her head. “We need to call Nakia, she will know what to do, or she can help.”

M’Baku cuts her off. “No need to do that. She is not the one for the job, nor would she take it.”

Okoye talks up to M’Baku. “I know you were close in the challenge, but it may not be of great taste for you to-”

“I don’t want it either! I have my own tribe to tend to, especially since it has possibly dwindled by half. Shuri, you must take it.”

Shuri shakes her head. “No, no, I can’t. I know nothing of it!”

Ramonda steps in and takes her hands. “Shuri, you are the smartest, most clever girl Wakanda has ever seen. There is nothing you don’t know, you worked side by side with your brother in every capacity. There is no way you don’t have an inkling.”

Shuri’s eyes begin to water. “I can’t take T’Challa’s place. I am not ready, my heart isn’t at peace yet!”

“Neither was his, daughter. Taking the throne after losing his father, his uncle, and his cousin was no easy task. He got through it nonetheless, for the people he loved! For his country! Okoye will be a great advisor, as the other tribe leaders would. We both know T’Challa is still with us, so we will keep his seat warm until he gets back right?”

Shuri closes her eyes, thinking carefully about the situation and what it all means. Being the Black Panther was never her goal in life, but it was always in the back of her head, being next of kin to take it.

Shuri exhales deeply, “T’Challa owes me big time.”


End file.
